


Forever and Always

by Oreocat155338



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Babysitter!Madara, Featuring, Fluff, Founders Era, Maybe leads up to a fix-it, Other, There are people mentioned, Time Travel, and also, but not shown SO, cute habits of the Senju brothers, i dunno, time swap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 00:49:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13776165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oreocat155338/pseuds/Oreocat155338
Summary: In which adult Tobirama being swapped through time with his child self leads to cuteness, the beginning of cute traditions, and also pain.





	Forever and Always

_"I love you. Forever and always."_

  
Words that he and Hashirama spoke to each other before they left for missions. Before taking a vacation. Before doing anything that might result in their death.

  
They had never lost their meaning.

  
Not for him, and most certainly not for Hashirama.

  
***

  
"My time here is up." The man told the smaller version of his brother. "You'll see me again, Hashirama."

  
"Tobi-" The boy stopped, finding his wording carefully, before he spoke. "Tobi, I hate the sight of blood." A soft grin appeared on Tobirama's face.

  
"Then perhaps you shouldn't kill for a living." He teased, before his face turned serious. "Your Mokoton- rather than using it to kill, only use it to wound and trap your enemies. Father will not like it but-" He shook his head. "You will soon be stronger than him, aniji. I promise."

  
"Tobi, please." The words were quiet. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

  
"Hashirama, I have seen it happen." The red eyes were vistful. "Keep my younger self close and-" He shook his head. " **Always** remember, Hashirama. You're my brother. _I love you.  
"Forever and always."_

  
***

  
"I hate the sight of blood." The admission was quiet, and the man looked down at him, a gentle - fond - smile appearing as he knelt down.

  
"Then maybe you shouldn't kill for a living." He said, and the boy shook his head.

  
"No, I have to, Hashi." He protested. "If I don't, then who'll watch your back?" The Hokage jerked back, surprised, before he picked up the small boy.

  
"I have Madara for that." He said. "I have Mito for that. Tobi, I have Touka for that. You take your time. You won't have to kill anymore. I promise."

  
"But you can't." The boy whispered. "Some day you'll die and- And there'll still be people that need protecting. Someone'll have to protect them."

  
"Oh, Tobi." Hashirama whispered, picking up the small boy as tears formed in his eyes. It had been years since he'd thought about Tobirama's fierce drive to protect everyone, the same drive that had driven him to become one of the best - second only to Hashirama, in fact.

  
"Niisan, please." Tobirama whispered. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

  
There was a long minute where neither of them said anything, and Tobirama curled up on his lap.

  
"I miss Kawarama and Itama." The words were choked out, and Hashirama pulled up Tobi and held him close while he grieved.

  
“I know Tobi.” Hashirama managed around his own grief. “And don't ever forget, Tobi - _I love you.  
“Forever and always.”_

  
***

  
The man blinked in astonishment as he entered his living room, and he looked over at the boy who was holding his naginata as though he were an adult, not an eight year old.

  
"Is that a dead body?" He asked, eyes noting the way Tobi had backed away from the body, weakly shaking his head as he lowered the deadly weapon.

  
"Uh..." The boy looked at the naginata, before he began furiously cleaning off the weapon. "Maybe?"

  
"It is." Madara sighed. "I can see it right in front of me."

  
"But-" The boy steadied himself with ease - more ease than should be in a boy his age, Madara noted, instantly feeling ashamed of his anger - "I promise I'll clean it up before dinner!"

  
"Don't worry, I'll do it." Madara said, already moving towards the dead body. Surprise registered in the boy's eyes. What sort of upbringing did he have? Madara wondered. "We're having take out tonight."

  
"Ok." Tobirama said, which was - odd, because every night he'd been watching the little Senju there had been bickering about what a proper meal was.

  
Madara sighed. He really wasn't cut out for parenting, or even babysitting. When he saw Hashirama the man would owe him sooo much.

  
"What's wrong?" He asked, and the boy looked up at him.

  
"When is Hashi-nii going to get back?" He asked and-

  
"As soon as he can." Madara said.

  
"But- He didn't take Mito or you or Touka and he said that you all would watch his back so what if he doesn't??"

  
_Oh_. No wonder. Tobirama was worried about his brother and- after what had happened to his other brothers, who wouldn't be? But did this mean that Tobirama had pushed himself to become strong enough to kill Izuna in order to ensure that no matter what his one brother stayed alive?

  
"He will." Madara said. "I promise. Your brother is the best shinobi in the Elemental Nations."

  
"There's **always** someone faster or stronger or smarter than you." Tobirama repeated back words that Madara had heard from the Uchiha Clan Council time and time again and-

  
No. Hashirama wouldn't die. Not a chance.

  
"Tobirama-"

  
"Don't make promises you can't keep." He'd gotten quiet, and Madara stopped what he'd been saying instantly. "Please, Madara-san." He snapped his mouth shut, and he bent down and picked up the worried boy.

  
"Have faith, Tobirama." He said instead. "I have faith that your brother will come back because I know him. He will do everything in his power to come back because you are waiting for him. Because Mito and Touka are waiting for him. Because I'm waiting for him."

  
Tobirama didn't say a word, instead clutching at Madara's tunic as though his life depended on it and curling up into a ball.

  
***

  
He was _too late_. As he knelt beside his brothers body, he found a note written in his brothers handwriting that said six words.

 

 

  
_I love you.  
Forever and always._


End file.
